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Read the full text of IndiGo co-founder Rakesh Gangwal's letter to Sebi.
Dear Mr. Tyagi, Mr. Mahalingam, Mr. Baiwar and Mr. Sundaresan,
I am a co-founder and a director of lnterGlobe Aviation Limited (Company or IndiGo), a company listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange and along with my affiliates hold approximately 37% shareholding in the Company. Rahul Bhatia, also a co-founder and a director of IndiGo, along with his affiliates (IGE Group) own almost equal shareholding of approximately 38%. And, a little more than 25% shareholding of the Company is widely held by public shareholders which include retail shareholders and some of the most well-regarded, marquee, global investors and funds.
IndiGo was founded with the objective of creating an airline to serve the people of India with a world-class product and built on foundations of transparency, uncompromising values and principles. The hard work of the employees of IndiGo has paid off. Now, IndiGo is one of the most successful aviation companies in the world and not just in India. However, today, IndiGo is at a watershed moment. It has started veering off from the core principles and values of governance that made IndiGo what it is today.
Having spent more than 30 years working in and leading some of the most reputed airlines in the world, including United Airlines, Air France, and US Airways, I decided to join hands with Bhatia, a longtime friend, to build a large air transportation network in India that would make the nation proud. Rooted from a deep trust built over a decade long friendship and with no desire on my part to have any meaningful control of the Company, I entered into a shareholders' agreement that allowsBhatia unusual controlling rights over IndiGo. Bhatia has the right (i) to appoint 3 out of 6 directors of IndiGo; (ii) that requires that "The Chairman of the Board shall be appointed on the nomination of the IGE Group ... " ; (iii) to nominate and appoint the Managing Director, (iv) to nominate and appoint the CEO; and (v) to nominate and appoint the President. These controlling rights give IGE Group, a minority shareholder, significant influence over the decisions of IndiGo and there is nothing wrong in that by itself, provided such influence is used judiciously and with prudence and is in the best interest of the Company. I hadn't contemplated that over the years, Bhatia would start building an ecosystem of other companies that would enter into dozens of related party transactions with IndiGo. We are not against RPTs as long as proper checks and balances exist and such RPTs are in the best interest of the Company.
Beyond just questionable RPTs, various fundamental governance norms and laws are not being adhered to and this is inevitably going to lead to unfortunate outcomes unless effective measures are taken today. Allow me to bring to your attention some of the events that demonstrate the collapsing corporate governance standards at IndiGo. These run the gamut of:
The unusual rights available to the IGE Group in conjunction with the lack of diversity and paucity of independent directors in the Board may very well be at the root of why governance matters have taken such a back seat at IndiGo. I request SEBI to look into and, if thought fit, ask the Company to make necessary changes to the unusual controlling rights available to the IGE Group, a minority shareholder with about 38% shareholding. These unusual rights survive even after this coming November when most of the provisions of the current shareholder's agreement expire, since, these rights remain embedded in the articles of association of IndiGo and will continue to survive unless the articles are amended by a vote of shareholders holding more than 75% shares. These rights are:
In the past, Bhatia has argued that these rights flow from the shareholders' agreement and were disclosed in the prospectus at the time of IndiGo's IPO in 2015. However, times, circumstances and behaviour of promoters have changed since 2015. Also, now, SEBI has rightly taken certain positions on these matters and most of these rights are not in accordance with SEBI regulations. Such unusual rights for a minority shareholder needs a fresh look in light of the facts that IndiGo is now a critical national asset, serves almost 50% of the domestic air travelers, the aviation industry in India has regrettably experienced a checkered and difficult financial history and, especially, in the context that these unusual controlling rights seem to be the basis for the various violations of law and governance at IndiGo. The nation can ill afford IndiGo to ever falter.
Attached are letters that we intend to ultimately send to all our shareholders and hold an EGM and shed additional light on RPTs that the IGE Group has engaged in with the Company. These letters stand on their own merits and spell out in detail various governance failures. It is well known that quite a few prominent and important Indian companies have faltered due to, amongst other reasons, lax adherence to corporate governance and weak Board oversight. It is imperative that IndiGo has the confidence of the travelling public, its employees, the shareholders and the various government entities and officials by adhering to the highest level of corporate governance and transparency. We are big believers in the long-term potential of IndiGo and its business and operational model. However, we also firmly believe that IndiGo can only realise its true potential and be a world class company if it has both a world-class business and operational model as well as world-class governance standards.
Under a separate letter to yourselves, my counsel, Khaitan & Co, have highlighted numerous transgressions by Board members, the IGE Group and the Company that defy governance protocols and flout various SEBI Regulations. In that letter, Khaitan & Co are also providing you with numerous troubling Company emails, reports and other material which by themselves establish the facts and list out the various violations of SEBI Regulations and corporate governance.
I have vigorously attempted for almost a year to persuade the Company to shore up its governance standards, and all my attempts have been thwarted by the IGE Group. The Company's and certain Board members constant platitudes that they are "working on these issues ... going forward we will be more mindful ... we have been addressing these issues" have become just words. I am now constrained to seek SEBI's intervention to direct the Company to amend its articles of association to comply with SEBI Regulations, to strictly follow the requirements prescribed by SEBI in letter and in spirit on Board matters and proceedings and to direct the Company to allow for the EGM resolution to be placed in front of all the shareholders of the Company.
We are grateful to all the whistleblowers who had the courage and wisdom to send information that allowed for this pursuit of almost a year. Without that information, it may not have been possible to uncover some of the specifics and facts that formed the basis for the EGM requisition
Understandably, this issue will become a topic of widespread national discussion, misinformation, speculation or worse. In fact, some of this has started to manifest itself in various media reports and Company management being less than forthcoming in its statements by downplaying the underlying issues. To allay any concerns among various governmental authorities, our customers, our employees and our shareholders that the operations of IndiGo are not impacted or disrupted and, equally importantly, to keep such public and private discourse to the facts, we are sending copies of this letter and its attachments to various regulatory and other entities. However, recognizing the confidential and sensitive nature of the information, the letter being sent under separate cover by my counsel, including the attachments and information sources, is only being submitted to SEBI.
In closing, we recognize that there are influential and powerful people on the Company's Board who will use their position to influence the outcome of the campaign that the RG Group has embarked upon. Their biggest arguments to downplay the issues will be that these are minor "procedural irregularities" and the Company is addressing them. However, we take comfort in the fact that no one is above the law and India is changing for the better. Also, we would like to point out that other retail shareholders, promoters or institutional investors may also face similar issues with other errant, publicly listed companies. Either they do not have the means and resources or lack the internal knowledge and workings of the company to be able to take effective steps to correct the wrongs and, hence, resign themselves to such errant corporate behaviour. We believe that our cause is in the larger national interest and not just because of the relevance of IndiGo to the nation. This is a landmark issue and SEBI has the ability to send a clear message to all errant companies to adhere to the spirit and intent of the regulations. Confidence and effective functioning of capital markets are anchored on such principles.
I remain available through my counsels, whose contact details are mentioned below, for any information needed by SEBI.
First Published: Jul 9, 2019 7:08 PM IST
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